Improvement in the method of pressing tobacco into boxes



vlUNTTnn STATES T aTnnT Oranier..

ALBERT SNEAD, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE METHOD OF PRESSING TOBACCO INTO BOXES.

Spcciicaton forming part ot' Letters Patent No. 2.953, (Tntcd September Il, 1811.

To (all whom, 'it may concern.'

Beit known that I, ALBERT Smau), or" the city of Richmond and State of Virginia, have invented a new anduseful Inode of binding up and confining tobacco-boxes while they are illed and pressed during the process of manufacturing tobacco, so that a plurality of boxes may be at the same time subjected to the pressure of the same screw or other power press;

and I do hereby declare that the i'ollowingis a l'ull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ot' this speciiication, in which- Figures l, 2, and 4C exhibit transverse sections of the construction and combination of the frames and of the partitions within,divid ing the large chamber formed by the outer trames into two, four, and nine smaller rectangular chambers. The outer frames as well as the partitions may be made of wood or oi' any metal, or of both.

Fig. l represents the construction and combination oil an outer frame composed of two sides and two ends or heads,thelatter obliquely grooved into the former, with a single partition, A, dividing the large chamber formed by the sides and heads into two smaller rectangular chambers. The partition Ais groov ed into the side ot' the frame, either by square or oblique ends, as is seen atL and M. Into each of the chambers formed by this 'frame and partition combined is placed a tobacco-box, to be coniincd, while it is iilled and pressed in the process of manufacturing tobacco. One or more rods or bolts pass from side to side on the outer side of the heads near the ends oi' the sides of the frame, as is seen at S, by means oi' which, with keys or screws, the sides are drawn toward each other, at the same time the heads, being obliquely groovedinto the sides, approximate each other toward the partition A in the center, and thus press firmly and bind and coniine on all sides the tobaccofboxes contained within.

Fig. 2 represents a frame constructed as in Fig. l, combined with the partitions C, D, E, and F, dividing the largechamber into i'our smaller rectangular chambers. rlhe cross-par tition is grooved into the sides, as in Fig. l, and the partitions running parallel with the sides groove into the heads and into the cross; partition, as is seen in this Fig. 3. In this ligure I the partitions may be so constructed and conibined with the frames as not to groove either into the sides or heads bybeing firmly and iminovabl constructed together where they cross each other at right angles in the center, and extending to the sides and heads, meeting them by square ends without grooving into them, as would be the case in this Fig. 2 ifthe partitions where they meet in the center were tirmly fixed to each other, and that part of the partitions which enters the grooves inthe sides and heads was removed,and the partitions at their ends be brought in contact with the smooth and ungrooved faces ot' t-he head and sides oi' the frame. -By means of the frame and partitions, combined as described, i'our rectangular chambers are produced, into each of which a tobacco-box is placed and confined while it is iilled and pressed in the process of manufacturing tobacco. In this iigure rods pass from side to side beyond the heads, as is seen in this figure at 3. They also pass from side to side and froml head to head along holes through the partitions, as is seen in this 'ligure at R. These rods from side to side and from head to head are not essential and may be omitted.

` Fig. fl represents the `frame constructed oi two sides and two ends, as inthe former figures, combined with the partitions N O, obliquely grooved into the sides, and the sub-partitions I? and Q, grooved into the heads of the frame and into the partitions N and O, the whole so combined as to produce nine rectangular chambers, into each of which is placed a tobacco-box, to be confined while it is lled and pressed, as in the two ibrmerinstances. This frame, partitions, and sub-partitions,l constructed and combined as described, are drawn together and made to bind irmly on all sides the tobacco-boxes contained within the chamber, by means ot" rods or bolts passing from side to side beyond the heads, as described in the two former instances, and as seen in this gure at S. In addition to the rods described, rods pass from side to side through the partitions N and O,and from head to head through the sub-partitions I? and Q, as seen at R in this Fig. 4. These rods or bolts passing through the partitions and subpartitions are not absolutely necessary,and may therefore by used or omitted. In all cases either keys or screws at the ends of the rods may be used, as is seen in the drawings and models.

The nature oil my invention consists in constructing a l'rame combined with partitions, as described, by means ol' which a plurality ol rectangular chambersare formed in juxtaposition, into each or' which a tobacco-box is placed and coniined while it is iilled and pressed in the process of manufacturing tobacco, so that a plurality of boxes may be at one and the same time subjected to the pressure el" the saine screw or other power press.

The machine consists of a frame and parti tions constructed and combined, as has been described, of any convenient siz'e, and made ot' wood or of metal, or of both, with the ends or' the frame grooved into the sides at an oblique angle, and the partitions and sub-partitions grooved into the sides, ends, and into each other so as to cause them to approximate the center, diminishing the several chambers when the rods or bolts are keyed or screwed up,which pass from side to side and `from end to end.

The plan of using the machine is simple. The bolts or rods,bcing uukeyed or unscrewed, are partially or wholly withdrawn from their places, the sides, ends, and partitions recede from each other, enlarging the chambers within suiiiciently to admit of the easy introduction of a tobacco-box into cach rectangular chamber, which box may be made of woodor other material, into which the tobacco is packed and pressed. The boxes being all arranged,

the rods are replaced and tightly keyed or screwed, thus binding and confining each box lirmly in its appropriate chamber. Everything being thus arranged an equal quantity of tobacco is packed into each box. The sinkers and blocks are then placed into each box, as

.in the ordinary way, and all the boxes at one and the same time subjected to the pressure of the screw or other power press. Vhen the boxes are filled and the heads secured,the rods are unkeyed or unscrewed and withdrawn, the chambers enlarge, and the boxes filled with tobacco are easily removed and other empty boxes are replaced, as before described.

il/That l claim as my invention, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

The application ofthe frames and partitions, constructed and combined asdescribed, to binding up and confining tobacco-boxes while they are illed and pressed during the process of manufacturing tobacco, by means of which a plurality of tobacco-boxes may be iilled and pressed at one and the same time under the same screw or other power press. By my plan of confining the tobacco-boxes tobacco maybe, in the process ol' manufacturing, more economicallyl pressed into boxes of the usual size than in the common way, and may be economically pressed into much smaller boxes than thosein general use.

ALBERT SNEAD.

Witnesses:

J xirns Evans, XVM. A. Murri.. 

